According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km2), of which 8.6 square miles (22.2 km2) are land and 0.05 square miles (0.12 km2), or 0.55%, are water.[9]

Balanced Rock was a famous local landmark that perched atop Bear Mountain 10 mi (16 km) north of Fredericksburg.[12] The natural wonder stone pillar, about the size of a small elephant, precariously balanced on its small tip.[13] It fell prey to vandals who dynamited it off its base in April 1986.[14][15]

The first known record of Cross Mountain (elevation 1,915 feet (584 m)) was in 1847 by Dr. Ferdinand von Roemer. Native Americans used the location to signal each other about intrusions into their territory. The area was part of settler Dr. John Christian Durst's 10-acre (4.0 ha) allotment. Durst found a timber cross on the mountain, indicating that Spanish missionaries had once used the site. Durst named the place "Kreuzberg" or Cross Mountain. In 1849, Father George Menzel erected a new cross. In 1946, St. Mary's Catholic Church erected a metal and concrete cross. The mountain has been used both for the Easter Fires pageant and for Easter sunrise services. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1976.[16]

The Fredericksburg-Stonewall area has become known as the Peach Capital of Texas.[22] and Benjamin Lester Enderle is known as the Father of the Hill Country Peach Industry. He was Gillespie County Surveyor and a math and science teacher at Fredericksburg High School when he planted five peach trees and began selling the fruit in 1921. Enderle worked to develop the Hale, Burbank, Elberta, and Stark varieties. He began marketing them through the H-E-B grocery chain, and eventually had 5,000 producing peach trees on 150 acres (61 ha).[23] Growers claim the taste[24] is due to the area having the right combination of elevation, sandy soil, and climate to produce flavorful clingstone and freestone peaches. The fruit ripens May–August, and consumers can either buy picked fruit, or pick their own.[25]

Main Street at Fredericksburg, a Biergarten is along the major street.

Herb farms,[26] grape culture, lavender production and wildflower seeds have become burgeoning businesses in Fredericksburg. Combinations of agribusiness with day spas, wedding facilities, or bed-and-breakfast accommodations are not unusual.[27] Even a Texas Hill Country Lavender Trail has been designated.[28]

Lady Bird Johnson's passion for Texas wildflowers not only lives on in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, but she also sparked a high demand for seed.[29] The 200-acre (81 ha) Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg was founded by John R. Thomas in 1983 as a result of that high demand, and produces 88 varieties of wildflower seeds. It is the largest family-owned wildflower seed farm in the United States and host of an annual Wildflower Celebration.[22][30][31]

The city of Fredericksburg is served by the Fredericksburg Independent School District. The school's teams are called the "Battlin' Billies",[38] with the mascot being a male Angora goat. The "Billie" mascot originated because of the abundance of goats raised in this farming community, and because the image of a charging billy goat is well adapted to the game of football.

The first institute of higher learning in Fredericksburg was Fredericksburg College in 1876. The German Methodist Church of Fredericksburg founded the institution and offered courses in the arts, sciences, and foreign languages. Enrollment was about 150 students. W. J. R. Thoenssen was the first principal, succeeded by Charles F. Tansill. Finances caused the college to be closed in 1884. The property was sold to Fredericksburg Independent School District.[39]

Headquartered in Fredericksburg, the Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools is a group of former students and members of the community, interested in preserving the traditions of the old country schools, the community clubs, and the history of Gillespie County for future generations.[44]

Hill Country Memorial Hospital on Highway 16 is an acute-care facility that offers medical care, preventive care, and a wellness center. It is consistently ranked in the top 100 hospitals in the nation.[45]

Gillespie County Airport[46] (FAA locator T82) is located on State Highway 16 South, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from downtown Fredericksburg, and features a 5,002 ft (1,525 m) long runway and a hotel and diner. The airport was established by Hans Hannemann and Red Schroeder. Prior to 1945, the facility had been owned by the United States Army Air Corps. Transient and long-term hangar rentals are available.[47][48]

As of the census[1] of 2000, 8,911 people, 3,784 households, and 2,433 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,342.1 people per square mile (518.2/km2). The 4,183 housing units averaged 630.0 per square mile (243.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.08% White, 0.27% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.09% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 17.00% of the population. English is spoken by 72.73% of the population, Spanish by 14.77%, and Texas German by 12.48%.[52]

Of the 3,784 households, 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were not families. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city, the population was distributed as 20.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 30.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,276, and for a family was $43,670. Males had a median income of $25,878 versus $22,171 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,788. About 7.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

The city of Fredericksburg is run under the council-manager form of government. As per the Home Rule Charter adopted May 1991,[53] the governing body of Fredericksbug consists of a mayor and four council members. Both the mayor and the council are elected in alternating years by the city at large for two-year terms with a limit of four consecutive terms.[54]

AM Radio station KNAF went on the air in 1947. The original license was granted by the Federal Communications Commission to Arthur Stehling.[57] The license was transferred to Norbert Fritz and family.[58]

The Fredericksburg Standard was originally titled Gillespie County News and founded in 1888. The name change happened in 1907. The paper was purchased by the Fredericksburg Publishing Company in 1915, which also published the German language newspaper Fredericksburg Wochenblatt. The Radio Post began publishing in 1922 and was purchased in 1984 by the Fredericksburg Publishing Company. The two newspapers merged into the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post.[59][60]

Grammy-winning blues artist Johnny Nicholas runs the Hill Top Cafe on US87 near Fredericksburg in a 1930s former gas station[61]

Books:

Gurasich, Mari (1994). A House Divided. Texas Christian University Press. ISBN978-0-87565-122-4. During the Civil War, young Louisa is the youngest daughter in a German household in Fredericksburg. One brother has been killed by Confederate vigiliantes James P. Waldrip and Die Haengebande, and the other brother is in a Union prison.

Gimenez, Mark (2009). The Perk. Sphere. ISBN978-0-7515-3967-7. Lawyer Beck Hardin returns to his hometown of Fredericksburg after the death of his wife, helping to solve an old crime.

Comedy:

Bill Hicks referenced Fredericksburg in the bit "Gifts of Forgiveness" which was included on his 1997 posthumously released comedy album Rant In E-Minor

Radio:

Walter de Paduwa on his Dr Boogie radio show of 11/11/2016 described (in French) his 1990s visit to Fredericksburg eating sauerkraut at 35 degrees, and seeing the Nimitz statue but summing up with the somewhat sweeping advice N'allez jamais a Fredericksburg. Il n'y a RIEN a voir a Frederiksburg (Never go to Fredericksburg. There is NOTHING to see at Fredericksburg).[62]